The Alliance
by Sylvanna
Summary: From the nothings, an alliance shall form. But not just ANY alliance, but The Alliance. And we plan to survive.
1. Chapter 1

How scary to know that I probably won't wake up tomorrow.

I'll be gone; another contestant lost.

How frightening to walk before the Gamemakers and sponsors with nothing to show but an arrow shot from a shaky, nervous hand.

To have nothing but my voice.

This was my life.

My name is Iris DeMartik.

I'm thirteen, District 12's tribute for the 60th Hunger Games.

I woke up in the bed that isn't mine. I drew myself up and tightened my fists.

The Games were far from starting, but I was in the Capitol. A knock echoed from the wood of my door.

"Yes?" I called. A slice of white light hit my eyes as the other tribute from District 12 walked in. His name was Jacob Terenause. His golden-brown hair was styled into the usual faux-hawk. He had glasses, something that the sponsors saw as a weakness. He sat down on the bed beside me.

"First training session today." he said. I looked into his eyes. They were green with a ring of brown around the pupil. In one fluid motion, he planted a soft kiss on my lips. Then the moment was over, and I pulled myself up from the bed. Jacob saluted me and slipped into the hall. I stared at my face in the mirror. The two darker freckles by the sides of my mouth; my brown-gray eyes of clear color. I ran a hand through my knarled brown hair and a tear dripped from my face onto the sink.

I wasn't going to live.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter Two**_

I stretched the string on my bow backwards, feeling the tension shoot up my arms. The archery instructor adjusted my shoulder, forcing it downwards.

"You're too tense."

I wrinked my nose. Certain doom was something to be tense about in my book, yet these Capitolians acted as if everyone had a legitimate chance at surviving.

As if. Every year so far, the Careers had been the stronghold. Those with exceptional talents flocked to join their alliance. Either way, you were killed.

But I would try to change that. I had planned ever since I rode to the Capitol. My alliance would marvel the Career's in its forging. Hopefully, anyway.

I released the arrow, and it pierced the dummy through the heart, the arrow just popping the flesh. I had been trained to shoot poison arrows for the Peacekeepers, not to kill, but just to let the poison on the tip of the arrow flow off. And I certainly didn't want to kill anyone. So this archery teacher by the name of Snowmist had been hired to train me privately. In payment, Snowmist would get a sixteenth of my fortunes should I win the Hunger Games this year. If all went according to plan, that certainly wouldn't happen. I relaxed as Snowmist turned to me, disappointment shading her usually bright face.

"You must spear them, not just hurt them." she said, as a fact. I nodded numbly, stringing another arrow. In a moment of respite, I did pull back and prepare to kill. The bowstring smacked me in the arm. Wincing, I saw the damage I had caused on the dummy, farther along the hall. A perfect shot.

"Very nice!" Snowmist praised. I shrugged just as Jacob walked over again.

"Nice shot." he commented simply. He was a talker back home, not here.

Several of the other competitors had been studying me carefully, also. I tiptoed and whispered into Jacob's ear.

"Let me know if any other tributes show any exceptional skills." I hissed. I guess that you should know about my plan. It was semi-foolproof.

I would form The Alliance. From these ultra-talented warriors would be forged an escape plan, a plan to sneak through the weakened north wall of the arena. I knew the weak spot. All who chose to accept my proposition would escape and live. All who refused would be left to interrogation and torturing by the Gamemakers. A tall boy with muscles, long black hair, and icy blue eyes again wrestled and pinpointed the hand-to-hand combat instructor. I smiled sneakily and approached him.

"Very impressive." I said. He arched an eyebrow, but said nothing other than that.

"I will send an Avox to deliver my message. If you want to live, you'll read it. If you want to survive, you'll accept it." I stated. He nodded sincerely. Jacob walked up to me and poked me in the side twice. Fighting the urge to giggle, I understood the underlying message.

The Careers suspected us.


End file.
